Light's Pawn
by WickedPhoenix
Summary: What if the prophecy that Harry Potter had been told was not the real phophecy? What if he had asked for counsel from another adult. Wizarding World, Meet Light's Pawn.
1. Chapter 1: I hear your voice on the wind

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the few quotes found from the book, are the full and complete ownership of Lady Rowling.

Chapter One: I hear your voice on the Wind..

Dull green eyes, lashes curled oddly from all the hours he'd laid upon the bed. Dazed, glassy vision struggling to see in the gathering darkness of the evening's gloom. In the Sixth Year's Boy's Dorm, Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Savior, woke from yet another nightmare. He looked at the battered watch, realizing, with something akin to horror, that he'd managed nine and a half minutes of sleep. His shoulders shook a little. He scooted up, until he was almost sitting, his shoulders scrunching downward under the literal weight of the world. Dark brown circles showed like dried bruises against his skin, and he stared out of the crease of the dark blood red crimson curtains. Too terrified to get up, to terrified to lay down, caught like a bug. He knew he'd been hallucinating, it happened when he was too tired, sometimes, his head had a stuffed, heavy feeling, and his eyes started to droop again, as he watched another hallucination, biting down on the pillow clutched in his arms as he tried, desperately not to panic, as he watched bugs trail over his skin. He shook himself, a full body shudder, and stared out the crease of the bed curtains, and stared, with a kind of wan determination, at the light of the full moon.

He didn't know, didn't understand how they could ever expect him to do this. He was a boy, just a boy, just Harry. Nothing more, nothing less. His mind swirled over the prophecy, the bloody, stupid prophecy, and he swallowed hard. Something niggled in the back of his mind and he scowled slightly at the alabaster moon. Sometime, something had rang oddly about that prophecy. He vaguely remembered, thinking back, as his spine stiffened. Ron telling him, a few words that he barely registered now. "Prophecy's never repeat themselves, not really. They may sound alike, but they are always different." He froze, as he whispered the words to himself, hands clenching onto the pillow like it was a life vest.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …_"

He froze, as he realize..that it repeated. "He chose the boy he thought most likely a danger to him, He chose, not the pure-blood, which according to his creed, is the only kind of wizard worth knowing or being, but the half-blood, like himself." He saw himself in you before he had ever seen you, and in marking you with that scar, he did not kill you, as he intended...but gave you powers, and a future..." he froze once more, and a sneer touched his lips. He shuddered once more, and tried to push it away. He picked his treasured cloak up, he glanced towards the bed, towards the sleeping body of Ronald Weasley, and for the first time, hesitated. He had to speak to Dumbledore, had to find out how they expected him to do this.

The desire rose in him, a shallow laugh came to his lips, perhaps just a bit of air, no real sound to it. This was the Wizarding world, of course they could expect him to do this. He needed...well he didn't really know what he needed. He moved over to the desk and sat down, staring at the paper on the desk, he kept the silken cloth wrapped around himself. Carefully he started to write.

My Needs  
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not being locked up

Food every day

Bathroom every day

Not sent near Vernon

Someone I can talk to (A trustworthy Adult)

Clothing

Training

Finally he put the quill down, staring at the words. The headmaster might have been a trustworthy adult at one point in his life, but he no longer was able to blindly trust. He hesitated for long moments, a hand reaching up and pulled into his hair one handed, clinging to the precious cloak with the other. As if he was encouraging his brain to work, rocking just slightly on his bare feet, trying to free them from the cold numbness of the dark. His jaw clenched as he struggled indistinctly with a decision. He searched his mind, almost desperately, crossing it many times, finally a moment of recent history caught his mind.

His breath caught, and held, for a moment, it was like a lightbulb had went off in his brain. Feeling rather sick, Harry looked up at the people seated at the bench above. There were about fifty of them… all staring down their noses at him, some with very austere expressions, others looks of frank curiosity.

…

A trial before the entire Wizengamot, A single red headed woman speaking out, calling for votes. The small glimmer of kindness he'd seen in her eyes. That had nothing to do with "Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived" and everything to do with "This shouldn't have happened, it's not right." His gut tugged at him, telling him to follow his instincts, and he hesitated. He tiptoed through the dorm, moving to his battered and abused desk, and picked up a scrap of parchment, and his quill and ink pot.

She had been fair. He could live with fair, the worst that could happen is she could send him back a polite letter telling him it was inappropriate, or worst yet, she could contact his Headmaster, but really, what harm could that do at this point? Bridges had already long past been burned in trust, hadn't they? It was a sobering moment for the boy who lived, as he realized...he couldn't trust Albus Dumbledore. His mind sharpened, pinpointed, and at least, maybe she could send him to whatever flunky could deal with his Mail Wards. He had the right to receive his mail.

He tiptoed past the charm that would alert his Head of House that someone was out, he'd caught onto it in fourth year, and scampered cautiously down the stairwell to the big red worn couches that he loved. He curled upon it like a cat curling up in a large comfy basket, a book borrowed from his trunk made a little desk, and he rested the ink pot carelessly on his tattered pajama leg. Quietly, his quill began to scratch the beginnings of the letter.

_"Dear Madame Bones, _

_ I'm very sorry to bother you, I'm sure you must be busy. My name is Harry Potter, and I wanted to know who to contact about a problem with receiving my mail. I don't seem to get my mail often, and it's rather important that I do. I wanted to make a couple of purchases via owl-order, and I can't seem to get the catalogs that Neville sent me last Hogsmede. He said he spoke to the shopkeepers I asked. I think, and I may be entirely wrong, but that I may be under Mail Wards, and I wasn't sure...well if that was strictly legal, I wanted to find out if there is a law book that would be preferred reading about the rights of a sixteen year old wizard. _

_Thank you, _

_Harry J. Potter_

His voice was whisper soft, as his owl fluttered up against the window. She always seemed to know how to help and when she was needed. He rested his head against the soft feathered head for long moments, and then his voice in a tiny whisper, knowing that portraits took everything to the headmaster, whispered to his snowy white owl. "Hedg, take this to Madame Bones. Only her, as quick as you can, before she goes to work." as soon as the owl had gracefully winged away, he had been a little intimidated by how easy it had been to write that letter. Little did he know, that it would be the letter that would rock the foundations of the Wizarding world, and his own.

He put the ink and quill and his old Defense Against the Dark Arts book on the table from last year, and stared at it for a moment. It didn't feel like enough, he thought his gut instinct would settle down, but now it was clamoring for him to go speak to his Headmaster. He had learned long ago that his gut feelings where wiser than he was, and that not paying attention to them usually meant something really bad was going to happen to Harry. This caused him to patter carefully back up the stairwell, and quickly slide on the ragged shoes next to his bed. Moving stealthily as he could, he tugged his wand out, whispering a spell under his breath that gleamed yellow towards his feet as he silenced his foot-steps. He drew the cloak around him with tender hands, and a particular special piece of parchment in his hands.

He loved the feeling of Hogwarts at Night. When it was empty and it was just him and the warm stones, Most would ask how stones could be warm, but it was home, and that was all that mattered to Harry. He ran a hand covered in the silvery slick cloth against the stone, and felt something cross his fingertips. He shook his head slightly, dragging his attention back towards his destination, and slipped forward and down a stairwell before the staircases could move.

So many things where wrong in his world, he mused. He didn't have his Gringotts key. He didn't have clothing, or food over the summer, or nice things like other kids. He slinked towards the Headmaster's Office, and actually paused at the entry way, and then remembered the password. "_Snicker Bars._"

The door creaked open, and he padded upwards, moving quietly, he paused at the door, and finally dared to knock loudly. The door creaked open a tiny bit, and he peered inside with a faintly worried look. Wait, the room was empty. There was Fawke's dish, and stand, and it was empty. He took a breath, and stepped inside, pulling the hood of the cloak down and calling his Headmaster's name loud enough to ring through the office. He actually blinked as the sound echoed back to him, and frowned faintly. Oh. The headmaster must be at the ministry of magic once more. His head bowed, and his hands shook faintly. He was alone, in the headmaster's office. He should leave. Before the headmaster showed up and he got asked if he had been into mischief.

He paused however, at the sight of the open pensieve. He tiptoed towards it, not sure why he snuck forward after he'd said the Headmaster's name out loud. Indecision swept through him. How mad could the headmaster get anyhow? He barely whispered the words. "What's he going to do, expel me?"

That thought seemed to settle him, and with a jolt, he leaned over the pensieve, stirring it with his wand delicately, until his forehead impacted the more, around him, everything faded, and he realized with a sickening lurch, that he was falling. Then he was there, and it was the same as it had been before. The darkened drab inn. The two people he had been horribly familiar with, The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, and the insane wacky and "real" seer, his Divination Teacher, Sybil. The same way he'd almost dismissed her, standing tightly and quickly. For a moment, uncertainty filled him, she was crazy, and certifiable, but even she didn't deserve the curt dismissal. Granted, he didn't like her particularly, but he knew how it felt now. And he spared a moment's thought for the poor woman. Then her head tilted back, her eyes rolling with a kind of white fog that crossed her vision. Her body stiffened, and a hoarse and growly kind of voice slipped from her lips like a darkening evil. One that sent chills up his back and terrified him every time he heard it.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, Pawn he will be, but neither can have him. Light's Pawn will have a power the Dark Lord Knows not...and one must die at the hand of the other for neither will live if the Light's Pawn Dies...the one with the power to vanquish them both will be born as the seventh month dies..._"

For long moments he stood there, horror struck, his mind simply shut down. He pressed a fist to his mouth to keep himself from screaming out loud. It was different...

It was not the prophecy he had heard. The words seemed to echo in his mind, taunting him. It was amazing how two little words could make him feel so used. He hardly felt it when he swirled out of the pensieve. He didn't even see the sad slumped figure of the phoenix who stared at him as he whirled on his torn and horrible sneakers, and dashed, at a dead run from the room. He never saw the phoenix turn it's head away from the pensieve in it's abject shame. Nor the tear that rolled down the exotic creature's face to land sadly inside it's ash dish.


	2. Chapter 2: I hear you call out My Name

It was about three in the morning when a certain snowy owl makes it's appearance at the edge of the border of the Bones's land. She passed through the wards easily, as owls most certainly where allowed, and moved towards the third level window of the magnificent gray manor house. There, she pecked at the window, tapping it in an annoyed manner as she attempts to wake the person inside the room up.

Madame Bones, or Amelia, as she preferred to be called by her close family, popped one eye open, spotting the unfamiliar owl, she heaved herself to a sitting position, and her wand from under her pillow, and waved it with a yawn towards the window, the window popped itself open, and the snowy flew over, landing on the covers near her, and offered it's letter in a polite, if dainty manner. Her eyebrow arched, and she mumbled faintly. "Little lady aren't you." she murmured softly to the owl, about that time, her house elf, Sprite, popped in, wiggling it's ears. "Sprite is getting Ma'am's coffee and a treat for Big Whitey." with a groan at that, since House Elf's seemed to always know when their masters and mistresses where getting out of bed, she levered herself upwards, and towards the roll top type desk in the corner of the room. A row of books was across the top, and she yawned as she pattered barefoot, hissing as she crossed the cold stone floor. In a snap, Sprite was back, with coffee, a flick of the elf's fingers and her feet where warm, her house-slippers appearing on her feet. She mumbled her thanks as Sprite moved over to the bed to give the pretty owl it's treat and make her bed.

Opening the letter, Amelia frowned, leaning back in her chair with her cup of coffee. "I just got woke up by a teenager asking me questions.." she muttered, pushing the mass of red hair back from her face, she re-read the paper. She considered for long moments, before picking up a piece of paper and starting to write back.

"Dear Lord Potter,

I'm rather displeased to make your acquaintance at 3 am in the morning, and I am a very busy witch. However, my name is Madame Amelia Bones, I give name right to call me Amelia. Lord Longbottom is very aware of how to get owl-catalog, I would suggest approaching your head of house about the issue with the mail wards. If you find out that mail wards are placed upon you, please contact the DMLE immediately, do not attempt to handle it yourself. They are highly illegal, as tampering with the mail is a criminal offense of great magnitude.

I am sending you a couple of books with my house-elf Sprite, who will return your letter, since I'm sure it would do me no good to send your beautiful Snowy owl in return with the letter if you do have mail-wards.

Your welcome,

Lady Amelia Bones, Head of the DMLE.

After writing the letter, she stood in her rabbit house slippers, and made her way down the stairwell towards the library, where she moved to pick up three books, frowning faintly at the thought that the material hadn't already been offered to the younger Potter Lordling, and then offering all three books and the new letter in return to Sprite, who had followed directly after.

"Take this to Harry Potter in his dorm room Sprite, just lay them on his bed if he's asleep."

A pop later, and Sprite returned, but with her arms still full of items. "Madame Boneses, their's be something wrongs. Lord Potter is not in dorms, he's in hallway. Hogwartzy be trying to comfort him, and he be very emotionally hurts and very upsets. Madame Boneses needs to help Lord Potter." the small house elf looked furious.

Her eyes narrowed, and she nods her head. "Sprite, go to Lord Potter, take blankets to Lord Potter, and a pillow, as well as a cup of hot chocolate, give him my letter, and tell him I will be in contact with him in the morning, and that he should rest." the words soft, a small smile as she knew how Sprite tended to adopt anything that had been injured in any way- the poor lad wouldn't know what hit him.

She stood, making her way to the bathing chamber, where she quickly washed, then dressed. Moving quickly now, she headed towards her home office fireplace, which was in her private office in the manor, which linked to her public office in the Ministry, and stepped through after dashing some powder through, cup of coffee and Lord Potter's letter in hand, she slipped through. It was unimaginable that she was at work before four am, and she yawned. Reminding herself that the one good thing was that nobody else was either.

She muttered as she downed the last of her coffee, slipping through the ministry in the search for the records room, and made her way towards it with the air of a woman that was handsomely determined.

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Sprite the House-Elf, was draping a blanket around Harry Potter, she felt Hogywarts helping him, the way the stones where almost soft, and a small smile touched her lips. She urged him to sit up, placing the cup of hot cocoa in his hand, along with a muffin. Her tiny hands patting at his back. "It be okay Mister Potter, Madame Bones be looking into things. You trust Madame Boneses, she help you good. It be okay Little Mister Potter. Sprite be promising. Here now, it be okay.."

He had almost gulped, choked when he spotted the house elf, but the gentle treatment seemed to calm him, and he found himself responding. "Thank you ..I uh..don't know your name..." the pale boy that was the Boy Who Lived asked.

"I be Sprite the House Elf, I be personal elf to Madame Bones, she be helping you, she said to tell Mister Potter that Mister Potter can expect to see Madame Bones this morning, and that Mister Potter should drink his cocoa, read her letter, and try to rest."

Harry nodded his head, his eyes already drooping, his thin frame finally warming with the assistance of the soft stones below him, and the warm blanket, and the cup of hot cocoa, he watched the house elf as she looked pleased as punch as he drained the cup, and curled down into the blanket.

"Silly wizard.." the sound gentle as she tucked the blanket around him. "Sprite be putting calming draught in cocoa, Littlest Mister Potter needs rest." she chides, casting a warming spell on the blankets with a flick of her fingers, the little house elf was away to get breakfast for her Madame Bones a stack of three books next to the sleeping stones and warm resting teen.


	3. Chapter 3: Listen My Child,you say to me

**Chapter Three: Listen my child you say to me**

_Author's Note:_ **In which Amelia finds out exactly how deep the rabbit hole goes. Or does she?**

**This is not the work of JK Rowling, and is meant only with the upmost respect towards that wonderful author. **

First thing first, she moved towards the file room. Every witch and wizard had a file. After all, most of his information should be there, and she could and most definitely would, contact his wizarding magic guardian and they could find out about these supposed wards. She blinked sleep from her eyes, and found herself in front of the Pn to Pplesky file cabinet, she used the set of keys that forever dangled around her neck as Head of the DMLE, and ran her finger through it.

"Pnuemoly, Pober, Possivmalve, Potter...here we go..." she pulled the thick file from the cabinet, closed it, and relocked it, she returned towards her office, file in hand, a small smile on her lips as she spotted the fresh coffee and breakfast upon it. "Always taking care of me, aren't you Sprite. With that she sat down with the file, and her breakfast, another sip of hot coffee, and fingering a bit of pastry into her mouth, she flipped the file open. She stopped mid chew, and picked up an piece of paper that still held the magic seal that said it had been unread. Swallowing quickly, she stood, making her way to the fireplace in her office, tossing a bit of floo powder in, she stuck her head through, calling out for Mipsy.

"Mipsy, could you wake Wendy, tell her it's an emergency and I need her in my office five minutes ago please. It's a wizarding child case." Mipsy showed in her line of sight from the fireplace. "Mipsy will get Lady Renald up and to your office immediately Madame Bonsey." She nodded her head, pulling herself back through the fireplace, and took a seat. Scarfing some of her breakfast while she waited approximately seven minutes for her fireplace to light up, only a few where keyed into the wards to her fireplace, and her best friend Wendy Renald was one of those witches. Sprite appeared, with a second cup of coffee and a pastry for Wendy, and took Amelia's tray wordlessly.

"What exactly do you need me...at..approximately 5 am exactly Amy?" the rather tired, frazzled looking blond asked as she plopped into the seat across from Amelia and took the cup of coffee from her.

"Got a letter from a teenage wizard, not aware of his magical rights, don't think he's aware of who his guardian is. Picked up his file from the cabinets for us, and have the will here, the seal is unbroken Wendy, that means that it was never read. The file has all sorts of useless nonsense in it, but no real...information..no visits from Wizarding Child Services, and it appears the child was placed with muggles, so visits to them and Saint Mungo's for checkups should have been required as it is with all magical children raised in muggle households." Amelia explained while Wendy chomped her way through the pastry.

"Are you sure Amy? We're pretty careful about not missing wizarding children...who's the case?" Wendy asked curiously, eyeing the file as she finally started waking up.

"Harry Potter." the tone hard as she stared at Wendy.

She flipped open the file, and ran her fingers over Lily and Jame's marriage certificate with revenant hands. The handsomely celebrated couple, parents of one Hadrian James Trijin Potter. She shook her head, remembering James and Lily easily, she swallowed hard, Lily precious heart, had been her friend. Her fingers trembled faintly as she let her fingers touch the edge of the will. Her gaze fixing on Wendy, who nodded encouragingly. She remembered Albus telling her their hadn't been a will...

She flipped it open, her eyes scanning past the legalize rather easily, and placed her head in her hand. She made a choked noise, then curse words slid from her tongue. She let Wendy take the papers from her shaking hands. "What the damn hell is going on Amelia?" the words almost growled from the Head of Wizarding Child Services.

Now worry joined the worried feeling, and she looked up at Wendy as she stared at each other. "I didn't know.." the words choked out.

They both stared at the paper for long moments...

"**We, the undersigned, invoke The Family Act of 1412 in the case of our death. Loco Parentis will be followed with the custody of minor child Hadrian James Trijin Potter..**

**Loco Parentis (7 families or people)**

**Full Name /Location /Status/Custody**

**Sirius Orion Black/ Unknown/Deceased/Unavailable**

**Remus Justin Lupin/ Flourish and Blott's/Werewolf/ Incapable**

**Frank and Alice Longbottom/ Saint Mungos Mental Ward/Incapable**

**Amelia Renee Snider-Bones/ Ministry of Magic, Office of the DMLE/ Available/ Full Custody**

**Author and Molly Weasley/ The Burrow/ Available/ 1rst in Line**

**Amos and Julia Diggory/ Diggory Manor/ Available/ 2nd in Line**

**Peter Pettigrew/ Little Hangleton/ Available/Unacceptable Potter-Line-Assassin**

She actually choked at the last name on the list, then her eyes fled back up the paper, and she choked again. Mother of all magic, _Merlin_. She had custody of Harry Potter. Her fingers ran across the names at the end of the will, and her eyes closed.

Signed: James Trijin Marcus Potter

Signed: Lily Evermore Evans-Potter

Signed Executor: _Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore _

She squeezed her eyes shut, and gasped for breath in a chest that seemed filled with panic and a faint tinge of hurt. Albus Dumbledore, in his greater wisdom, had decided that she was an unsuitable guardian for the boy who lived. That was the only explanation, unbidden, hurt rose in her, and the she shook faintly with the two things she had learned. The boy, was hers, in all but name,. She held her in her hands the paper that would rock so many people that it...she shook her head. She reached for the piece of paper that Wendy summoned wordlessly, signing her name to the Custody papers immediately, they tightened, rolling themselves up, and Wendy picked them up, accepting magical and physical responsibility for the Boy Who Lived.

It was intimidating as hell, to realize she had custody in this particular case, as she had Susan. She smiled grimly and stood. She hurried to the woman, and put a hand around her, the woman was looking both enraged and ready to pass out at the same time. She quickly yanked open the third drawer, and pulled out the hidden flask that was tapped to the top of the drawer. She quickly uncapped it, conjured a glass out of a quill, and dumped a healthy dose of the sweet liquor in. She warmed it with a second spell, and urged it to Amelia's white lips. One sip, then a second. The hands came up and took the glass and she checked on her friends face. Good, color was starting to return to her. She looked a bit shocked still and she gave Amelia long moments before asking.

She didn't look up until she heard the choked noise come out of Wendy's mouth. "It's true. His folder is almost bare Wens. You can see that with your own eyes. I don't even know who had him. There is nothing in the file, no visits from your office Wendy, you know that Lily was a friend of mine, but...to leave me her son." she choked again, and shook her head. "Look at the signature on the bottom." the words damning Albus Dumbledore in their simplicity.

"Bloody HELL!" came out of the other woman's lips before she realized that she meant them,. She stared at the paper in her hands, and looked at Amelia. She rubbed a hand down her face, and stood. "Can you walk Amy? We need information, I need my office." she brushed off her clothing, and stood as Amelia said that Yes, indeed, she could walk, and both women hurried to the fireplace, both ducked inside, such a wonderful thing, ministry's fireplaces, and soon they where rushing away to Wendy's grate. The smaller woman stepped out gracefully, turning to help Amelia out. The woman had received a horrible shock.

She hurried to her own file cabinets, tapping them with her wand to unlock them, and yanking the P drawer open with the kind of haste that some might find unseemly. Amelia had sunk into the chair in front of her desk, and Wendy all but ripped open the small collection of folders. She moved to her desk with them, and flipped the first open. "Will, Marriage License, Current Residence, here we are." she pulled the paper free, and put it in front of Amelia. A tap of Wendy's wand and the year round residence of Harry Potter was revealed.

"Number Four, Privet Drive, Surrey." Amelia said in a whisper, her gaze shifted to Wendy in curiosity, and concern. Wendy's eyes had narrowed, and she moved to the chair, pulling open a drawer and pulling out a briefcase. "Right, then, we're off to Surrey, we need to know conditions, and see if we can find out what was going through Dumbledore's head."

Both women, grim faced, moved towards the building's apparition point. Hours later, both of them where sickened, a kitchen table, two trembling in rage witches, and one mostly empty vial of Veritaserum.

Wendy stood, finally. "Amelia, get to that school and get Hadrian and Susan and get them out." the words stiff. "I'll deal with summoning the Aurors, you can't be part of that, due to your personal involvement with the situation."

Amelia nodded, and closed her eyes...and with a soft pop...Apparated away.


	4. Chapter 4: Iam the voice of your History

**Chapter Four: I am the Voice of your History**

_Author's Note:_ **Kudos to anyone who can figure out what's going to happen next.**

**This is not the work of JK Rowling, and is meant only with the upmost respect towards that wonderful author. **

**Her mind walked back to what had happened as she rode across the express, her lips curled back in a fierce, displeased viscous smile. **

Wendy Longbottom Renald and Amelia Bones apparated three blocks away from Privet Drive, Surrey. Both of them had transfigured their clothing to be dressy, compliant with muggle standards. Wendy had added a little badge on her lapel stating that she was from Child Services, and her name below it, as well as had Amelia, putting the Bobby's badge on with a kind of grimace. She really disliked pretending to be the local police, but well, what worked, worked, and she had the paperwork to back herself up if necessary. Her hands where clenching and unclenching around a particular manilla folder.

Wendy lead them to Privet drive, muttering about how nobody had checked up on them, they both felt themselves pass through wards, and did so easily, such flimsy things, those. Amelia closed her eyes as the sense of failure started to rise higher in her gorge. Finally, they were at the stoop, and Wendy rapped on the door with a brisk business like move. If she had confessed, she was interested in what Albus thought was proper parents for a child.

A remarkable woman opened the door, and her face pinched almost immediately as if she smelled something nasty just under her nose. Wendy immediately tapped the door with a perfectly manicured nail. "Hello Mrs Dursley, I'm Wendy Renald from Child Services, may we come in?" her tone suggested that bad things would happen if they weren't invited in, a frown marring her normally kind face. For a moment, it seemed like the woman would refuse them, then she spotted the badge on Amelia's jacket, and her face whitened, the door opened, a crack, then more, as she backed away from the door, her mouth thinning into a flat pinched line. She motioned them inside, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead as they proceed into her house. Inspecting it as if it where filthy. She swallowed hard. "Should I retrieve Dudley from his room?" the words spoken nervously by the woman as she drew a tea towel around her hands desperately.

Wendy drew herself up, and turned to look at the woman. "I suppose I should have been more specific..I'm Wendy Renald" her voice took on a viscous edge as she glanced around the living room and hallway, none of which held a single picture of the child in question. "Wizarding Child Services." the tone absolutely smooth.

Petunia whitened another notch, and she brought her hands up to her lips in a trembling movement that startled both of the women. "Get him out of here.." the words almost slid free into the room, both women stilled, and something in Petunia's gaze was frightened, and desperate. Immediately Amelia moved forward her gaze concerned.

"Promise me, you won't let him come back here..I'll tell you anything you want, I'm so afraid that Vernon will kill him.." the words tiny, threadbare, too honest for the room, and for the thin, horse faced woman. Wendy stepped forward at those words, and moved to the little coffee table, sitting down the suitcase and popping it open, she motioned the woman to a chair, and drew out a sheath of papers. She also poured the woman tea in a proper manner, and liberally laced it with Veritaserum.

Finally, she spoke, as a pale faced Petunia sank into the chair while Amelia said a single word.

"Explain." It was not a question, it was a demand. One that almost visibly cut through the air.

Petunia started to talk, taking a dainty sip of the tea. Her face slackened, taking the look that those susceptible to the drug took.

"We never wanted him, you know. We didn't get asked. Just left him on our doorstep, empty as you please. It was hard enough with one baby in the household, but suddenly I had two children looking to me." she closed her eyes.

"No Explanations that I could understand for the incidents, either. Magic." the words spat out. "Never knew when they would hit, when they would strike, or if anyone would come fix them." the words harsh.

"Vernon wanted to kill him, wanted to leave him behind a dumpster, I ..Dumbledore said he had to stay, that he'd be dead if we didn't take him." the woman swallowed.

"I may not have liked it, I may not have loved him, but I kept him alive." her head rose up. "I convinced him that the boy could be a servant for me, for him." she looked at what was now two unyielding faces. "I didn't have a choice, he would have hurt him!"

She swallowed hard, "He did anyhow, I tried to put a stop to it, but once started, it never seemed to go away entirely. A slap here, a slap there. It's not been so bad, these last two years. He stays away, as much as he can get away with. I don't blame the boy." the words came out in a rush.

"I couldn't love him, couldn't. If I did, Vernon would have done worse." the words tiny, desperate for the women to believe her, and seeing the fear in her eyes, and the liberal amount of truth serum that had also added to the tea, they knew it was true. "Oh I wanted too.." the words muttered.

Finally after Composing herself, Wendy spoke. "We found your sister's will, you should have never been left with a magical child. What we need now is for you to sign these papers transferring rights in your world to the rightful caretaker of the child." she offered the paper and a ballpoint pen to the woman, who hurriedly scribbled her name down on it, not even looking at it.

Less than hour later, the two women left Privet Drive, both of them pale and furious. Three blocks away, the telltale crack of apparition could be heard behind the old alley way.

The two women now moved through the crowd with single determination, faces grim as they made their way back to Wendy's office. Once inside, Wendy raised her wand and sealed the door, layering wards upon it, her eyes snapped to Amelia's face.

"You have full custody of Harry. I'd expect Albus to fight you tooth and nail, unless you totally stun him." she dismantled the wards on the file cabinet, and made a whispered spell, providing Amelia with the paperwork copy of the transfer, the will, and the information from the folder with quiet efficiency. "If I ever find out that he's been returned there.." the woman was shaking. "I'll file the paperwork for the transfer after you have physical custody of him." her gaze was fierce. "I'd get your doctor to take a look at him, and make sure he takes evidence if there's anything visible and have him forward the information to me."

Amelia nodded her head, accepting the papers almost listlessly. Wendy walked to her and grabbed her hands. "He's your child Amy. Yours. Show that goody two shoed twinkling bastard not to mess with a sleeping dragon." the words fierce and hard.

"I'll contact the Minister and let him know what has been happening, you deal with getting Harry to your house." the words echoed softly, and Amelia nodded her head.

"Wens, do you mind if I use your fireplace, I'll ride the train, if I apparrate in this condition I'll splinch myself, the ride will do me good. It'll give me time to prepare."

Wendy nodded her head, and motioned to the fireplace.

"Of course, hex anyone that gets in your way Amelia, let me know when he's settled, will you?"

Amelia nodded her head, a flash of powder, and she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5: Be Not Afraid, Come follow me

Chapter Five:

She walked through the main doors of Hogwarts, she felt like the building was warm towards her, oddly enough, her hand brushed the normally chilly stone, and instead, it had felt pleasantly warm, her head tilted down for a moment, as she gathered herself. She remembered her discussion once far in the past.

Lily was sitting next to Amelia, pushing the hair out of her face as she cried in her hurt, her face was horribly bruised. "Amy, shss, it's okay, Hogwarts cares for her children.." the words soft, gentle, kind in a way that most had never understood. Lily had been like that, protective. Soothing. Her eyes squeezed shut for a moment. "Blood and Honor Lily.." the words choked out, her palm resting against the stone. "Help me protect my children tonight Hogwarts." the words slid from lips, and she stalked towards the double doors. Inside the great hall, unaware..the clouds above the tables darkened.

She reached for the next doors, her wand preparing to flick out, when the doors slammed open, she felt a moments warmth for Lily, and for Hogwarts as she stormed, angry mother dragon style, into the great hall. Their wasn't a single person who could take her as anything else, for she stormed without the precision of the MDLE, and she pointedly wasn't wearing her badge. Her hair was loose and wild from the train ride, and her eyes red rimmed from her tears. She drew herself up near the head table. Her hands tightening around the copy of the will in her hand. Albus stiffened as he looked at her, he had stood when she had approached. "Amelia, let's take this to my off..." the words however, got cut off.

"Blood and Honor Albus Dumbledore, how dare you." the words bitten out. A sharp hiss of breath from Professor McGonnigal, however, she was ready for that woman. "I'm going to...hope...that you didn't have anything to do with this Minny.." the words simple, the sheer blatant hurt flinging it's way through her voice.

"I don't understand what you mean Amelia..." McGonnigal started to say.

Amelia sneered at Dumbledore, then tapped her wand against her throat, murmuring the sonorous charm under her breath. "I invoke Loco Parentis ..." she got cut off by McGonnigal, even as Amelia flung the open will on the high pulpit of Albus Dumbledore, who blanched so white it was almost gray.

Minerva however, didn't seem to know what it was about. "But Amelia, you already have custody of Susan..."

Amelia looked almost like she was waiting on those words. "I invoke Loco Parentis, on Hadrian James Trijin Potter. I am his magical and physical guardian." the words whiplashed out, as the murmurs started in the great hall, Minerva sat, white faced, as she stared at the paper, her hands reaching up to try to cup her lips. She hadn't missed her own name, down the line of people, the will laid there, open.

And then very lowly. "How dare you Albus..." the words filled with so much hurt it shook. "Blood and Honor Dumbledore, nothing is more important than blood and honor, things like war..." her voice trembled, and "have no bearing on family " repeating the words that Lily Potter had used, all those years ago, as she comforted Dumbledore about a choice he'd made. It had been Lily's favorite saying.

Albus's head bowed, under the words, he looked almost shocked. She didn't even give him a chance to react, he almost collapsed, sitting at the great table, and she whirled, still dragon-irked mother, and called. "Susan, Harry, come with me...Sprite, fetch their things..." the words gentle, almost broken.

In his shock, he faltered.

At the Hufflepuff table, a blushing Susan rapidly rose, making her way over to Amelia, taking her place to the right of Amelia, a few steps behind. Amelia turned her attention towards the Gryffindor table, holding out her hand as she had for Susan, and from the table rose a thin, bespectacled, red rimmed eyed Harry Potter, who quietly stood, and walked to Amelia as well presented of himself as Susan had been.

Amelia tilted her head up, turning her head to Minerva, who stared at her in almost shock. "This is the leaving feast, I think it is safe to say, Mister Potter will not be returning to his Aunts. My house elf is retrieving their things. Dumbledore started to speak up, his mouth opened, before Amelia whipped around, wand in hand. "Open your mouth Albus, go ahead, I dare you. I will bury you so far under the public outrage that will come from it if you dare open your mouth to excuse yourself. There is no excuse Albus NEVER an excuse for that.." the words fierce. "I'm taking my children home." the words snapped. "Come Susan, Come Harry." and with that she turned, giving a gimlet eye towards the head table, and stalked from the great hall.

She stormed out, taking them with her down the stairs, towards the great gates. "I'm sorry for that Harry, Susan, if you'll step outside with me, I'll dual apparate us to Bones Manor..Harry, I'll explain everything there.." Harry nodded, and so did Susan, both offering their hands to Amelia, who inclined her hand, and took them, and apparated them away, followed by the soft pop of Sprite the House-elf.

They appeared in a lovely living room, with a warm fire glowing. Inside sat a very tired Wendy Longbottom Renald, who smiled faintly when she looked up over the cup of tea. "Come come, Amy, I went ahead and started a pot of tea..." they had agreed to meet in the living room. Harry sat nervously, nudging his dirty shoes with the other, the duct tape barely holding them together.

"Harry, this is Madame Wendy Renald, she's cousin to your friend Neville Longbottom, by marriage. She's from Child Wizarding Services." the words a gentle introduction. The face of Harry tightened faintly, and he seemed to shrink back against the couch.

"Please don't take me to the orphanage.." the words said from almost bloodless lips and with an agonized expression. "My uncle is mean, but my Aunt tries...I can tell she does..." the words slid out, begging softly. "She tries to act mean, but she isn't...I've caught her crying, couple of times..he scares her.."

Susan immediately went over to Harry, shooting Amelia and Wendy a look as she reached over and tried to take Harry's hand, Harry was unresisting, shooting her a thankful look. Wendy smiled faintly. "Don't worry about that at all Harry, Child Services found out with your assistance and with Amelia's that you had been improperly placed. Your parents will was not opened, and we where...rather well convinced by Headmaster Dumbledore that there actually wasn't a will.." she heaves a sigh. "Your guardian should have been Amelia Bones all along Harry, from the time you lost your parents." the words gentle.

Harry's eyes flashed to Amelia, and his hand tightened in Susan in nervousness. "What? But..Dumbledore said I had to stay with my Aunt..." his voice broke a little, and Amelia frowned, looking him over.

"Harry..." the words gentle and slow. "We used Veritaserum on Petunia Evans Ne Dursley. We know about what happened to you.." the words as gentle as she could. She was not surprised at the sound that ripped it's way from Harry, who keened faintly, and tried to stand, even as his legs buckled, both herself and Wendy reached forward and attempted to catch the collapsing teen. "Susan, get in the fire and call Doctor Piers. Tell him that it's important.." the words slid free in a panic as Amelia felt for the first time the heat coming off of Harry. "He's burning up.."


End file.
